—Publisher’s Note: At the top of last week’s issue, we promised members:

Having been depicted by the US Department of Justice as doing the best work to date on describing the Chinese national business model, we have something shocking and new for members of SNS and INVNT/IP.

When you read it, it will change how you travel and meet, what you talk about, where you stay, and – most likely – whether you put your company’s (or government’s) most important secrets at risk.

Stay tuned for our code-named “Operation Bedbug….”

This week, I am proud to introduce the result of a new intensive INVNT/IP research project led by Research Director Evan Anderson, one which we think is not only newsworthy on a top-line basis, but which also should directly affect lives and travel decisions of business and government leaders worldwide.

What if we were to tell you that the Chinese government, using stealth techniques and shell companies, had just purchased 100 of the world’s top hotels, presenting new security risks almost overnight at locations used until now for global business meetings, government gatherings, and technology conferences?

What if we were to tell you that the actual number was almost 3,000, and growing?

In the following pages, you’ll read, for the first time, of the extent of a massive, well-disguised program we have code-named “Operation BedBug.” We’ll include names, shell companies, financial backing, family connections, weird “champion” growth rates resulting from government funding, and the brand names and locations in your local town or city.

Perhaps most important, we are including an interactive map making this information instantly accessible on a per-property basis worldwide.